A Different Sky
by DigiExpert
Summary: An accident causes a change for Aaeru that could affect her for life. She and Neviril must learn how to cope with the new changes, both alone and together as a pair.


**This one took me all week to do, and I kept trying to get it just right. A lot of what happens wasn't planned originally, as with all my stories it seems. In fact, the idea for the ending only came to me last night and I thought it would be a wonderful way to tie everything up in the end. Enjoy!**

Aaeru stretched, feeling the cramps and kinks in her muscles after sitting in the same position for hours on end. "Aahh... that's much better!" She turned her arms in a windmill and then turned back to Neviril. "What should we do?"

"We need to find the basics. Once we make shelter, we can explore this world further."

"Any idea where we are? It looks familiar."

"Mm… I agree. There have been so many worlds that are similar. Perhaps we have visited at an earlier time."

"I'll go gather some firewood and see what food I can find," suggested Aaeru. "You'll set up here?"

"Of course."

Aaeru wandered into the woods, looking about her. She began mapping out the forest in her head, noting her location and what was nearby. Her eyes kept watch for pieces of wood that could be used to cook with. In the mean time, she also looked for plants that could be used to for food or that bore any kind of fruit. She was uncertain of what they would find, and wondered if she would need to make a trap for small game.

In no time she had found a handful of wood and a few possible locations for food. She'd let Neviril know and they could gather it together. Humming, she wondered how Neviril's building was coming along. Perhaps it'd be a clear night, and they could watch the sky together. She smiled to herself. Nothing could be better.

Out of the corner of her eye, a peculiar plant caught her eye. She cocked her head to the side, stopping for a moment. It was small, and tucked against a group of larger bushes. Curled red leaves hung from the center, and were surrounded by a set of four large green leaves. She set the firewood down, looking more closely at the plant. She'd never seen anything like it. Tentatively, she reached out with a finger, tapping one of large leaves gently.

She didn't see the light layer of powder that rose from the leaves and tickled her nose. She rubbed her nose, trying to resist the urge to sneeze. She found that she could only hold back for so long. She sneezed, and a large cloud of powder rose. Aaeru tried to cover her face, but the powder covered her face as she inhaled it and it got into her eyes.

Immediately, she felt a burning sensation in her eyes. She rubbed at them, trying to get rid of the powder. Her eyes watered, but the sensation remained. She blinked, finding her eyesight blurry. "What's with this stuff?" she wondered out loud. "Geez it burns!" Anything she did didn't help fix things. Her vision continued to be blurry.

"Neviril! Neviril!" she yelled, hoping she wasn't too far away. Aaeru tried moving back toward the Simoun, but found her sense of direction to be skewered. Her legs brushed against the bush and she backed away, only to trip over the pieces of wood that she'd set down earlier. She fell backwards, landing hard on her bottom. Aaeru hissed.

"Aaeru?" She heard Neviril's voice to her right. "Aaeru, what happened?"

"I don't know. I was looking at that plant—" Aaeru pointed in the direction she thought it was in. "And then I sneezed. Something got in my eyes…and now they aren't working right."

"You…you can't see?" asked Neviril. Aaeru heard the surprise in her voice.

"It's really blurry. And it's still burning."

"Aaeru, it might have been poisonous."

"It'll stop soon, right?"

"I'm not sure, Aaeru. I'm not sure."

Aaeru tried to find Neviril's location. If she squinted hard enough, she could just barely make out the blur of pink hair. "Is that you, Neviril? I can't…I can't find you."

She felt hands gently touch her arms, and help her to her feet. She could smell the scent of Neviril around her, feel her body against her back. She just wished that she could see her. Aaeru turned around in Neviril's arms, trying to look up into the face she remembered. All she could see were distorted blurs of skin and hair. Everything went dark, and her world was black. It was as though she were sleeping, and this was a dream that had ended. It was like she'd closed her eyes for a few moments to rest.

Neviril watched Aaeru's face quietly. Aaeru's eyes were red from being rubbed so much. She could see the bloodshot lines amongst the red. She bowed her head, resting it atop Aaeru's. Silently, she said a prayer, hugging Aaeru close to her.

"Neviril, I can't see you…what's wrong with my eyes, Neviril?"

"I'm not sure, Aaeru." Above all else, she had to stay calm, for Aaeru's sake. "What were you doing before this happened?"

"I was bringing back the wood I'd collected and I saw this plant. I sneezed and stuff got into my eye."

"Aaeru, I think the plant caused it. The pollen must be poisonous and cause a person to go blind."

"Do you think it'll last forever?"

"I don't know… we can only wait and see. Let's go back to the Simoun, all right?"

Neviril held on to Aaeru as she stumbled her way back toward the Simoun. Aaeru held on to her hand, fumbling her way along, as though she were trying to find her way in a dark hall. Every time Neviril tried to pull her close, Aaeru refused. She wanted to do it herself. Aaeru stumbled, tripping over a large tree root in the ground. She began to fall forward, and Neviril caught her, pulling her back up.

Aaeru said nothing, but Neviril saw the scowl on her face. Perhaps preparing for dinner would do them both good. Aaeru typically worked to find them food, and Neviril would prepare it. Looking at Aaeru, Neviril realized it would be up to her to take over Aaeru's job. She knew there was a stream nearby and that she could fish. That would be a start. It might be the only food they got that evening before the sun set. "Aaeru, did you keep the ball of string you found?"

"It's in the bag near the controls. Are you going to fish for dinner?"

"Yes, I am. We need food to survive."

"I'll help you. You don't know a lot about fishing."

The only help Aaeru could offer was advice on the best way to make a fishing pole. She was determined to help out, but she quickly found that it was much hard to make notches when you couldn't see the stick in front of you, as it was to tie knots with the string. She had passed the tangled mess to Neviril after a few tries, frustrated with herself. Neviril had tried to create a knot following Aaeru's instructions, but found it difficult when she wasn't sure what kind of knot she was making in the first place, or that there was more than one kind of knot.

Fishing in itself was more eventful. Aaeru fished alongside Neviril, comfortable that she could finally do something. Neviril had never fished with her before, and found the idea of catching a fish wasn't really her cup of tea. She was the first of them to successfully get a tug on her line, and Aaeru had tried helping her to pull it in, but had stumbled and fell backwards. In her worry, Neviril had dropped the fishing pole, and it had been dragged downstream by the fish that was attached to it.

Eventually, Aaeru managed to hook a few fish on her own line, and Neviril took care of preparing them. Aaeru was quiet, eyes staring blankly into the flames of the fire that had been built. Neviril would look over at her, concerned. She wondered what Aaeru was thinking. She had no idea what Aaeru must be feeling. She couldn't begin to imagine what Aaeru felt.

Aaeru listened to the sounds around her, trying to make out what each was connected to. She heard the crackling of the fire and she heard Neviril preparing their meal. The sounds of the forest surrounded her, from the tree branches rustling in the wind to the calls of an owl. There were other sounds she couldn't place, and that bothered her. Being unable to see bothered her, and it was only the beginning.

Dinner hit home the beginning of her struggle. She found that it was hard to find the food placed in front of her. She fumbled to pick up the bits of fish, and found herself squishing the meat between her fingers because she'd gripped too tightly. Other bits were dropped into the dust. "This is stupid!" she yelled at one point, ready to give up on eating.

"Let me help you, Aaeru," Neviril said softly.

"No! I can do it!" replied Aaeru, determined to show that she could handle feeding herself. Yet another piece of fish dropped onto the dirt, the very last piece she had. She felt around her plate for any more pieces, but found none. "I wasn't hungry anyway," she mumbled.

"Do you want some of mine?"

"No. I'm full."

They went to bed without a word exchanged between them. Aaeru separated herself from Neviril, not wanting to be touched. It broke Neviril's heart to see Aaeru react in such a way, and it took all she had to remind herself that Aaeru was struggling to cope with her lack of sight. Had this been how she had acted before? She lay down next to Aaeru, thinking back. She watched the girl's backside, and watched as Aaeru's breathing evened out. Knowing she was sleeping, Neviril could now fall asleep herself.

Aaeru shot up in the middle of the night, hand reaching out as though grasping for something. "Neviril? Neviril!" she called, panic overtaking her voice.

Neviril was quickly awake, instantly moving to Aaeru's side. She wrapped her arms around the girl, pulling her close. "I'm here, Aaeru, I'm here," she whispered softly. Aaeru's body trembled.

"What's wrong with me? Why can't I see? Why aren't my eyes working?" Aaeru's voice broke, and tears streamed down her face.

Neviril didn't know what to say. She knew there was nothing that would make the situation better. Aaeru was blind, whether it was temporary or not. They would have to learn how to cope, and she wasn't sure how that would turn out. She moved her hand to Aaeru's, linking their fingers together. "It was the plant, Aaeru. Remember, the pollen caused it."

"I don't want to be like this, Neviril. I want to be able to see again."

"I don't think there's anything we can do, Aaeru. We have to place our faith in Tempus Spatium."

"If Tempus Spatium existed, it wouldn't have done this to me!" replied Aaeru angrily.

Undaunted, Neviril replied, "There's always a reason, Aaeru. We may not know why, but there is always a reason."

"That's a lie. It's not true!" Angrily, Aaeru began trying to pull away from Neviril. Neviril continued to hold tightly, struggling to keep a grasp against Aaeru's strength. Eventually, Aaeru's struggle weakened as she broke down in tears.

"Oh, Aaeru," murmured Neviril. She rested her head against Aaeru's and looked toward the sky. Quietly, she prayed for both of them. Even if Aaeru didn't believe, Neviril knew that her prayers would be heard.

Aaeru woke first the next morning. She felt herself open her eyes, but still only saw the darkness all around her. She began to panic until her brain kicked in and reminded her of the previous day's events. At the same time, she felt something rustle beside her. She hoped it was Neviril.

"Aaeru? Are you awake?" whispered Neviril.

"I guess so," Aaeru replied. "Neviril?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to fly."

"But Aaeru…you—"

Aaeru cut her off. "I want to fly. You say Tempus Spatium exists. Tempus Spatium wouldn't take that away, would it?"

Neviril pursed her lips, frowning. She forgot that Aaeru couldn't see her facial expressions. Aaeru fidgeted, waiting for a reply. "Aaeru, you'd have to fly sagitta and let me fly auriga. I'd be your eyes." She watched the frown on Aaeru's face form. It wasn't the best solution, and it took away Aaeru's ability to fly the Simoun as she wanted. As sagitta, she'd have little control over the direction of the Simoun.

"Let's go then."

"Without breakfast?"

"We can eat later. Come on." Aaeru rose to her feet and headed in the direction she thought the Simoun to be in.

Neviril quickly rose to her feet, chasing after Aaeru, who was heading away from the Simoun. She took hold of Aaeru's hand. "This way, Aaeru."

Without help, Aaeru climbed into the sagitta seat. She settled back, letting her hands roam over the controls that weren't all too different from those she had used as an auriga. Her hands reached for controls that were not there, and she sighed.

"Aaeru, you've forgotten something."

"Oh!" Aaeru stood up, leaning over the Simoun gem awkwardly, her lips puckered slightly.

Neviril stood up on the auriga seat, leaning forward and kissing Aaeru gently. She felt as though she wanted to do more, but Aaeru pulled away, bending over to kiss the gem. Neviril did the same before standing once again. She watched Aaeru for a few moments as her fingers fumbled around, feeling out the controls around her. As far as she knew, Aaeru had never flown sagitta so the controls were doubly unfamiliar to her.

She settled into her own seat as the Simoun hummed. Her fingers guided the controls, easing the Simoun into the sky. She had no idea where Aaeru wanted to go or what she wanted to do. She set a course due north. Her ears picked up the sound of crying behind her. "Aaeru? What's wrong?" asked Neviril gently.

"I… I feel so weak. I can't do anything."

"You can, Aaeru."

"No. I can't even be auriga. It feels…wrong being here. This isn't my spot."

"I know, Aaeru, but…" Neviril felt as though the sentence shouldn't be finished. It made things seem so final.

"I can't see. Just say it, Neviril. I can't be your pair any more."

"What are you talking about? You're still my pair. You're always my pair."

"I can't fly anymore and I can't be auriga. I'm not meant to be your pair."

"Aaeru, didn't you want the best when you first came to the Arcus Prima? You wanted someone to fly with you in the sky you saw."

"I did want the best, but I'm not the best. I'm not good enough for you, Neviril. I can't be your auriga anymore."

"Listen to me, Aaeru. I'm only going to say this once. You are my pair, and you always will be my pair. Just because you're blind doesn't change that. I won't let it." Neviril was surprised to find her voice cracking. Her emotions were rising to the surface. "Open the door, Aaeru." She left no room for argument. She opened her own, and turned, standing to face the sagitta section as the Simoun hovered in the sky.

Aaeru opened the door and stared blankly into the distance as she stood up. She balanced herself unsteadily. "What is it?"

"Lean forward." Neviril waited as Aaeru tested her balance and then her lips embraced Aaeru's, kissing her softly. Her kiss conveyed her feelings, the ones she felt that she couldn't express in words or ways that Aaeru would understand. Her lips spoke volumes as they caressed Aaeru's, her hand resting on Aaeru's cheek. For that short moment in time, they were one with each other. Neviril pulled away slowly, but kept her hand against Aaeru's skin.

"Neviril…" Aaeru's voice seemed to shake as the kiss sank in.

"I won't be paired with anyone who believes themselves to be weak in mind and body. I need a pair who I can rely on, and who can do the same for me. We share the same sky, and without you, the sky disappears. Don't let your sky disappear. You've never let anything stop you before."

"But…"

"The Aaeru I know wouldn't let this stop her. She would continue to search for a way around it, or a way to overcome it. The Aaeru I know wouldn't give up so easily. Which Aaeru are you?"

"I… I'm…" Tears began to fall, but Aaeru didn't seem to realize that she was crying. Her eyes focused on some subject far away that she must have guessed would be close to where she heard Neviril speaking.

"Who?"

"Your pair."

Smiling softly, Neviril caressed Aaeru's cheek. "And I am yours. Let's fly in our sky." She turned and settled back into the auriga seat. Taking over the controls once more, she drove off.

Aaeru held onto the controls lightly, unsure of what she should be doing. She couldn't remember much about what the sagitta did beyond forming the Ri Majons. She'd always wanted to fly auriga and therefore had focused her attention on learning all she could about that pilot position. She ran her left hand over one of the sticks, wondering what its purpose was. Would she use it to help execute a Ri Majon? Or was it meant for something else?

It didn't frustrate her that she didn't know. It frustrated her that she couldn't figure out what it was or see it in front of her. Perhaps if she saw it, she might be able to figure out how to use it. As it was, they just felt like grooved sticks. Useless. Pointless. _Like me_ echoed in her mind. She smacked her hand against one, frustrated. She misjudged her hit, and her hand slammed against it instead. "Ow!" she called out.

"Aaeru? What happened?" asked Neviril, concerned. Her fingers hovered over the controls, should she need to open the hatch instead.

"Nothing," lied Aaeru, rubbing the top of her hand. She wondered if it would bruise. She wouldn't be able to tell if it did.

Neviril didn't press for information. She turned the Simoun toward the right, intending to guide them back to their camp. It was past time for breakfast. Perhaps Aaeru might feel better after eating something.

Over the new few days, Aaeru and Neviril began to learn how to cope with the change they were facing. Aaeru still became easily agitated, but Neviril was always there to remind her that she wasn't alone. She would often take Aaeru's hand and intertwine their fingers together, quietly holding on until Aaeru calmed down. They'd soon return to the task at hand, continuing as though nothing had happened before.

Neviril learned more than she had ever wanted to know about nature and living. Her background brought displeasure at the notion of having to gut and clean a fish, or catch small game for a meal, and Aaeru would often laugh at her exclamations. Neviril was glad that Aaeru couldn't see her facial expressions; it pained her to complete the tasks, but she knew that Aaeru wasn't capable of doing it as she had before. There had been no choice. She had accepted this with dignity. Aaeru often tried giving her advice, but it was hard for Neviril to listen to it when Aaeru could not show her exactly what she meant. She wished that she had paid closer attention before. Now, she had no way to do so.

At night, the two of them shared the large set of blankets. Sometimes Aaeru would sleep apart from Neviril, only to move closer in the night. Once morning arrived, she could be found nestled in the crook of Neviril's arms. Even if she felt she didn't belong with Neviril, her heart knew the true answer. What Aaeru didn't know was that Neviril often waited until she fell asleep before reaching out and finding her hand. She would take the smaller hand in her own, and smile at the fit, recalling the words she'd said to Aaeru about her hands being small, and how Aaeru had reacted, embarrassed. Now it was cute and endearing.

By no means had they adjusted fully to the new change. Aaeru still woke each morning, fully expecting the previous day to have been a dream. Neviril often found herself wishing that Aaeru were capable of seeing, frustrated at her own attempts to take over what Aaeru had always done. In comparison, she often felt like a failure. The hardest thing to get used to, however, was the reversal of roles in piloting the Simoun. After being with Aaeru, Neviril felt strange sitting in the auriga seat, while Aaeru took the sagitta's seat. It didn't seem right, and it certainly didn't feel right. The flights they shared were often more headache than anything; Aaeru felt disconnected from the sky, no matter what Neviril said to her. She might be able to feel the wind and hear the birds, but she could not see her sky, nor could she fly where she pleased. This angered her more than any of the other incidents.

Late evening had settled across the land. Aaeru sat by the river, fishing rod in hand. It was one of the few things she felt she could do with some competency. How hard was it to catch a fish? She knew Neviril sat nearby on her left side, fishing as well. They ate more quickly when they worked together to catch dinner. Aaeru felt a tug on her line and began to pull. She squeezed her eyes shut with the motion of making the pull. As she opened them, she thought she glimpsed a very fuzzy view of the world. It appeared to be a fluke, as her eyesight quickly disappeared once more. She dismissed the event and continued to slowly reel in the fish. Once more, a fuzzy glimpse of the world, longer this time.

Aaeru blinked, wondering what was going on. She wasn't sure if she should be happy or angry. She dismissed it, once more continuing. The incident continued again and again, longer each time. Finally, Aaeru saw the world through the fuzz covered lens. She looked around in wonder. No matter how unfamiliar everything seemed, she still glimpsed the pink hair of her pair nearby, who was hunch over, concentrating. "Neviril?"

"Hmm?"

"Something's happening…I…"

"You caught another fish?"

"No, my eyes… it's all fuzzy."

Aaeru saw Neviril's form turn to her and then move closer. She blinked, since the fuzzy sight was making her a bit dizzy. Neviril sat beside her, and Aaeru set her fishing pole down. "What do you mean, Aaeru?"

"I can see some, but it's fuzzy. It's not dark anymore. I see your body, but I can't see your face."

Neviril placed her hand over her mouth in surprise. Could it be the blindness was only temporary? She couldn't begin to hope that… what if the fuzziness was only temporary until Aaeru's world went black again? They'd both be disappointed if they let their hopes up. "Let's give it some time. We don't know what will happen just yet."

Both girls went back to fishing, and Neviril prepared the trout they caught for dinner. Aaeru sat by the fire, prodding it with a stick. Her eyes looked into the fuzzy orange of the flames, and she tried to focus and make them more detailed, more sharp. It seemed to work some; the fire took more of a shape, but nothing more.

Dinner was eaten in silence, each girl lost in their own thoughts. Neviril had begun to let herself wonder what would happen if Aaeru was indeed getting her sight back and what that would mean for them once more. Aaeru was simply trying to bring her world back into focus, and was inwardly frustrated at the slow progress.

Aaeru popped the last bite of the fish into her mouth; it was much easier to eat when she could at least see the shapes in front of her. She licked her fingers and looked up. She stopped mid-lick when she realized that she could clearly see Neviril's form beside her. The details… her face, the strands of hair, those bright blue eyes. Instantly, she reached out and tackled Neviril, causing her to fall backwards off the log she sat upon.

Neviril looked up in shock and surprise, finding Aaeru towering over her with a large grin and bright eyes. "Aaeru, what are—"

"I can see, Neviril! My eyes are working again. Come on!" With that, Aaeru rose to her fight and waiting impatiently for Neviril to rise.

Neviril brushed herself off as she stood, but was interrupted when Aaeru took her by the hand and began to run. "Where are we going?"

"To the Simoun. We're going to fly."

"We are?"

But it was too late. Aaeru had arrived and stared up at the Simoun in wonder. She turned to Neviril. "I want to fly in our sky, Neviril." She leaned up on tiptoe and kissed Neviril soundly before turning and climbing into the auriga seat. In a daze, Neviril climbed up the Simoun to her own seat, and they both kissed the Simoun gem. Neviril barely had time to sit and close the hatch before Aaeru had lifted them into the sky.

"Aaeru, you're going too fast! Slow down!"

Aaeru laughed. "Isn't this great Neviril? The sky looks different though."

Neviril was unsure of what Aaeru meant. This was the same starry sky as before; it did not look much different from any other sky they'd come across before. "How so, Aaeru?"

"I don't know, but it does." Aaeru couldn't place the feeling; all she knew is that it looked different to her. It seemed to have changed ever so slightly.

What Aaeru didn't realize was that she had begun to change herself. Being devoid of sight for just a few days had forced her to begin to rely on another. It wasn't something that made her weaker, or less of a pilot, no matter how frustrated she had become at times. Relying on Neviril had made her stronger inside, and her sky, their sky, had changed to reflect that.


End file.
